Page 48 - HUDCO-SHELTER-OCT21

CONCEPT NOTE
Speaking on the topic of “From rapid urbanisation to the Green Shift”
during the “European Development Days”, on 15 June 2021,
UN-Habitat Executive Director, Maimunah Mohd. Sharif said:
“Urban transition can be an opportunity to change the way cities are organized, to leapfrog to more
sustainable infrastructure, and deliver on the green transition. 70 per cent of all the infrastructure in
2030 is yet to be built. Decision-makers need to realise that they have the power to either support
resilience, equality, and low-carbon development by the decisions they make today. Their indecision
or lack of conviction will deprive future generations of a better future. It is really that simple “

Investors and businesses are playing a central
role in the transition to a green economy.
governed and managed. Policy, legal and
Investments focused on environment,
governance frameworks have an important
role to play in increasing cities’ resilience and
social and governance factors have surged
in helping cities reducing their GHG emissions.
recently. Cities in collaboration with national
They define urban forms, determine where land,
governments can attract investments, for
example, for smart energy grids and buildings
infrastructure and basic services can be built,
through enabling policies and incentives and
lay out the rules for planning and decision-
making, and set the context within which urban
by show-casing innovative projects as seen
authorities, local governments and communities
in the SOLUTIONSplus project bringing cities
are expected to fulfil their mandate and react to
and entrepreneurs together to develop electric
emerging challenges.
mobility.
The New Urban Agenda, the shared vision for

The New Urban Agenda comprehensively
a better and more sustainable urban future settlements should be planned, designed,
addresses these aspects and lays out a broad,
adopted at the UN’s Habitat III conference in multilevel, and cross-sectoral framework with a
WHD CONCEPT NOTE spatial focus that can accelerate global climate
Quito, Ecuador, in October 2016, provides an
enabling framework for implementing these action and provide the means to localise the
measures. It sets out how cities and human
Figure 4: Framework for localising SDGs SDGs (figure 4).
NATIONAL URBAN POLICIES
Framework conditions for compact and
integrated city planning and the
provision of basic services LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION
Protection of green and public spaces
and biodiversity Governance structure for integrated
land-use and transport planning, capacity
Guiding urban GHG inventories of local authority officials and technical
NEW URBAN AGENDA Steering Sustainable Urban Mobility staff, preparation and implementation of
bankable projects
Plans, Energy Audits, Building codes for
energy efficiency, off-grid or micro-grid Civil society engagement
A spatial framework for energy systems and standards for basic Collaboration between cities and local
service provision, including water,
global climate action and sanitation and waste management private sector entrepreneurs
localising the SDGs Encouraging public-private sector Conduct VLRs to meet SDGs and
collaboration, civil society participation, undertake ambitious Climate Action
capacity building and knowledge
exchange
Guidelines for Voluntary Local Reviews
(VLRs) for SDGs and Climate Action
Horizontal (inter-ministerial)
coordination
Figure 4: Framework for localising SDGs
It sets out how cities and a broad, multilevel, and improved and urban transport
human settlements should be cross-sectoral framework should become more low-
planned, designed, governed with a spatial focus that can carbon and inclusive. Access
and managed. Policy, legal and accelerate global climate to reliable and clean energy
4
governance frameworks have action and provide the means is essential for a range of
an important role to play in to localise the SDGs (figure 4). activities ranging from
increasing cities’ resilience and remote working, household
in helping cities reducing COVID-19 AND lighting and cooking and
their GHG emissions. BUILDING BACK maintenance of cold chains
They define urban forms, GREENER for the delivery of medicines
determine where land, While devastating in its and vaccines. The crisis has
infrastructure and basic impact, the COVID-19 also highlighted the need to
services can be built, lay out pandemic has highlighted improve basic services such
the rules for planning and some important lessons to as water supply, sanitation,
decision-making, and set the address the climate crisis. and waste management
context within which urban For example, the increase particularly for the poor who
authorities, local governments in remote working should live informal settlements
and communities ease traffic congestion and bear a disproportionate
are expected to fulfil their in the long term and burden of the risk from such
mandate and react to reduce the perceived infectious diseases.
emerging challenges. need for ever-increasing The fiscal stimulus
The New Urban Agenda road construction to meet the programmes now being
comprehensively addresses demand for car-based travel. rolled out in many countries
these aspects and lays out At the same time facilities for are also emerging as trial runs
walking and cycling must be
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